Port Authority approves billion-dollar project for GWB improvements

The Port Authority Board of Commissioners on Wednesday authorized a $1 billion project to replace 83-year-old suspender ropes on the George Washington Bridge and make other improvements.

View of the George Washington Bridge from the 40th floor.

The project calls for the replacement of 592 suspension ropes; the rehabilitation of the main cables supporting upper level and lower level roadways; replacement of north and south sidewalks; and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle access ramps.

“The Board’s authorization of the George Washington Bridge suspender rope program will ensure that the iconic structure is preserved for generations to come,” Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Deb Gramiccioni said in a prepared release. “The bridge project will also serve as a bi-state economic engine, creating nearly 5,000 jobs for the region.”

Port Authority officials estimate that $365 million in wages as well as $1.7 billion in economic activity will be generated from the project.

The main cables are composed of individual wires and need to be inspected, cleaned and protected from deterioration, according to a 10-year capital plan that was approved last month by the board and includes the bridge repairs.

The project includes the following improvements:

The existing main cables will be wrapped in a protective cover while dry dehumidified air will be pumped in to force humidity out and prevent further deterioration of the cables.

State-of-the-art smart bridge technology will be installed that will monitor the ropes’ condition and warn engineers of any changes.

Roadway lighting on the main span will be replaced. A programmable LED light system will replace the necklace lighting.

Pedestrian sidewalks and access points on both sides of bridge will be reconstructed with access ramps that ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Right now, bikers and pedestrians have to traverse steep staircase sections to access the bridge’s shared use paths.

Work on the ropes is expected to begin in 2017 with a completion date of 2022. The overall project is slated to be finished by 2024. The construction will be staged so that suspension system work and sidewalk approach access ramp construction will be completed during each side’s sidewalk closure.

During construction, off-peak traffic lane closings on the bridge will occur.

The bridge, which spans the Hudson River between Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood and Fort Lee in New Jersey, was considered the world’s largest suspension bridge when it opened to traffic in October, 1931 and is the world’s only 14-lane suspension bridge, according to the Port Authority.

Port Authority approves billion-dollar project for GWB improvements

The Port Authority Board of Commissioners on Wednesday authorized a $1 billion project to replace 83-year-old suspender ropes on the George Washington Bridge and make other improvements.

The project calls for the replacement of 592 suspension ropes; the rehabilitation of the main cables supporting upper level and lower level roadways; replacement of north and south sidewalks; and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle access ramps.

“The Board’s authorization of the George Washington Bridge suspender rope program will ensure that the iconic structure is preserved for generations to come,” Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Deb Gramiccioni said in a prepared release. “The bridge project will also serve as a bi-state economic engine, creating nearly 5,000 jobs for the region.”

Port Authority officials estimate that $365 million in wages as well as $1.7 billion in economic activity will be generated from the project.

The main cables are composed of individual wires and need to be inspected, cleaned and protected from deterioration, according to a 10-year capital plan that was approved last month by the board and includes the bridge repairs.

The project includes the following improvements:

The existing main cables will be wrapped in a protective cover while dry dehumidified air will be pumped in to force humidity out and prevent further deterioration of the cables.

State-of-the-art smart bridge technology will be installed that will monitor the ropes’ condition and warn engineers of any changes.

Roadway lighting on the main span will be replaced. A programmable LED light system will replace the necklace lighting.

Pedestrian sidewalks and access points on both sides of bridge will be reconstructed with access ramps that ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Right now, bikers and pedestrians have to traverse steep staircase sections to access the bridge’s shared use paths.

Work on the ropes is expected to begin in 2017 with a completion date of 2022. The overall project is slated to be finished by 2024. The construction will be staged so that suspension system work and sidewalk approach access ramp construction will be completed during each side’s sidewalk closure.

During construction, off-peak traffic lane closings on the bridge will occur.

The bridge, which spans the Hudson River between Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood and Fort Lee in New Jersey, was considered the world’s largest suspension bridge when it opened to traffic in October, 1931 and is the world’s only 14-lane suspension bridge, according to the Port Authority.